Link Report for Games of Tuesday, July 4th

[Mass Haas]

http://www.brewerfan.net/images/store/dailylinkreport.jpg

[Mass Haas]

Tuesday's Daily Menu: It's a backyard feast! Happy Holiday to all from everyone here at Brewerfan...

 

All times Central; pitchers subject to change --

 

Nashville: RHP Justin Lehr at Memphis (Cardinals), 6:20 PM pre-game, 6:40 gametime

 

Audio link:

www.nashvillesounds.com/listenlive/

 

Huntsville: RHP Travis Phelps at Birmingham (White Sox), 5:50 PM pre-game, 6:05 gametime

 

Audio link:

www.espn1450radio.com/

 

Brevard County: LHP Manny Parra at Daytona (Cubs), 6:05 PM

 

Audio link (opponent's):

www.daytonacubs.com/

 

West Virginia: LHP Rafael Lluberes at home vs. Asheville (Rockies), 5:55 PM pre-game, 6:05 gametime

 

Audio link:

www.sportsjuice.com/provi...e=wvpower.

 

Helena: RHP Jose Beltre at Great Falls (White Sox), 7:45 PM pre-game; 8:00 gametime

 

Audio (click on "Listen Live"):

www.helenabrewers.net/html2/index.php

 

Arizona: TBD at the not-so-giant Giants, 12:30 PM Central time, 10:30 AM local, never any web audio for the Arizona League

[Mass Haas]

Follow Tuesday's action as it happens:

Here's what you do, right click on each of the links below and choose "Open in New Window". Activate the Nashville Gameday. For the other links, choose "Log". While you're listening to your minor league game of choice (or watching/listening to the big league Crew when they are playing), simply refresh your game log browsers every so often. It's sweet!

 

Nashville:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_mrbaaa_1

 

Huntsville:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_biraax_1

 

Brevard County:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_dbcafa_1

 

West Virginia:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_wvaafx_1

 

Helena:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_grfrok_1

 

Arizona:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_giarok_1

[Mass Haas]

This link will be included in each daily report when the Nashville Sounds and/or Huntsville Stars are scheduled to play. Normally it is updated an hour or two prior to gametime:

 

Nashville Media Notes (Adobe .pdf format):

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/pdf/notes.pdf

 

Following Nashville's lead, Huntsville now makes its media notes available as well, nice:

 

www.huntsvillestars.com/i...eNotes.pdf

[Mass Haas]

Standings through Monday's action:

 Pacific Coast League (AAA) - American North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [b]Nashville 43 40 .518 - 28-19 15-21 L1[/b] Iowa 39 44 .470 4.0 20-19 19-25 L3 Memphis 36 47 .434 7.0 18-23 18-24 W3 Omaha 33 51 .393 10.5 19-20 14-31 W3 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Southern League (AA) - North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chattanooga 9 6 .600 - 6-4 3-2 L1 West Tenn 9 6 .600 - 4-1 5-5 W4 Tennessee 9 6 .600 - 4-1 5-5 W1 Carolina 7 8 .467 2.0 5-5 2-3 L1 [b]Huntsville 5 10 .333 4.0 3-7 2-3 L4[/b] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Florida State League (A+) - East Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- St. Lucie 9 1 .900 - 5-0 4-1 W9 Daytona 8 2 .800 1.0 4-2 4-0 W6 Palm Beach 5 6 .455 4.5 3-1 2-5 L2 [b]Brevard County 3 6 .333 5.5 2-3 1-3 L3[/b] Jupiter 3 8 .273 6.5 3-4 0-4 W2 Vero Beach 3 8 .273 6.5 0-4 3-4 L6 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- South Atlantic League (A) - Northern Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lakewood 8 4 .667 - 4-1 4-3 W1 [b]West Virginia 6 5 .545 1.5 3-0 3-5 W1[/b] Greensboro 6 6 .500 2.0 2-2 4-4 L1 Lake County 6 6 .500 2.0 3-2 3-4 L1 Hagerstown 5 6 .455 2.5 4-5 1-1 W3 Hickory 5 7 .417 3.0 4-4 1-3 L1 Delmarva 4 7 .364 3.5 2-2 2-5 L3 Lexington 3 9 .250 5.0 2-2 1-7 L5 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pioneer League (R+) - North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Billings 9 5 .643 - 5-2 4-3 W1 Great Falls 8 6 .571 1.0 3-4 5-2 L1 Missoula 6 8 .429 3.0 3-4 3-4 L1 [b]Helena 5 9 .357 4.0 2-5 3-4 W1[/b] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Arizona League (R) - Arizona League Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- AZL Giants 8 2 .800 - 3-2 5-0 L1 AZL Mariners 7 3 .700 1.0 3-1 4-2 W3 AZL Royals 6 4 .600 2.0 3-3 3-1 W1 AZL Padres 5 4 .556 2.5 2-2 3-2 W2 AZL Rangers 5 5 .500 3.0 2-3 3-2 L2 AZL Angels 4 6 .400 4.0 2-4 2-2 W1 AZL Athletics 4 6 .400 4.0 2-2 2-4 L1 [b]AZL Brewers 3 6 .333 4.5 2-3 1-3 L2[/b] AZL Cubs 2 8 .200 6.0 0-5 2-3 W1

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.dailymail.com/news/Sports/200607041/

 

Tourists manager won't be empty-handed

Jacob Messer

Charleston Daily Mail sportswriter

 

Asheville Tourists Manager Joe Mikulik knows what awaits him today.

 

"I'm ready for it," Mikulik said.

 

It is the verbal onslaught launched by West Virginia Power fans and orchestrated by Rod Blackstone, their creative ringleader who is known as "Toastman."

 

Mikulik undoubtedly will be their main target in the series opener between Asheville and West Virginia at 5:05 p.m. today because it marks his return from a seven-game suspension, which South Atlantic League officials imposed after a temper tantrum that made ESPN SportsCenter highlights.

 

"I have something for him, too," Mikulik said of Blackstone, who is known around the league for his well-researched cheers and jeers. "I'm not coming up there empty-handed."

 

Blackstone doesn't bother Mikulik, but he once did.

 

"He will be ragging on me and he will be ragging on our hitters and pitchers," Mikulik said. "He comes up with stuff from every angle. At first, he got me mad. I was like, ?Who is this guy? Get a job. Get a life.' But I met him and got to know him. I know it's all in good fun.

 

"I think it's a good thing for your team and your fans up there. I respect him. He respects everyone. If you don't know him, you probably think he's a bad guy, but he isn't. If you get to know him, he's a good guy."

 

The same can be said about Mikulik, who normally isn't the hot-head millions of people saw on television the past week.

 

"He's a great guy," Power General Manager Andy Milovich said.

 

Milovich said his club has no plans for Mikulik-related promotions during the teams' four-game series at Appalachian Power Park.

 

"I'm sure the fans will take care of it," Milovich said.

 

Mikulik, who estimates he has been ejected about 25 times from 985 games in his seven seasons as the Tourists' manager, is ready to return.

 

"It's hard to watch the games from the sides," said Mikulik, who was allowed to be on the field during pre-game but not in the dugout during games while serving the suspension.

 

"I'm looking forward to getting back into the dugout and helping the team, although they have been playing well without me."

 

The Tourists were 6-1 while managed by Rockies roving hitting instructor Jim Johnson.

 

In addition to the suspension, Mikulik received a $1,000 fine.

 

The incident occurred in the bottom of the fifth inning during the June 25 game between Asheville and Lexington, a 5-2 winner that day.

 

Tourists pitcher Brandon Durden tried to pick off Legends runner Koby Clemens from second base. Base umpire Andy Russell called Clemens safe, causing Mikulik to charge onto the field from the visiting dugout.

 

Russell ejected Mikulik, who immediately hurled his baseball cap to his right in response to the heave-ho.

 

Mikulik then engaged in a nose-to-nose exchange with Russell behind the pitcher's mound, his hands on his hips, his head shaking as he screamed.

 

Mikulik stopped yelling and sprinted toward second base, then dove toward the bag.

 

When he stood up, he took the base out of the ground. Holding onto it with his right hand and pointing at it with his left hand, Mikulik ran toward Russell with the base -- screaming the entire time, of course -- for another nose-to-nose exchange before he flung it toward right field. He also hurled a rosin bag toward the bullpen.

 

Mikulik then turned his attention to home plate umpire Steve Barga.

 

Unhappy with the way he had called balls and strikes in that game, Mikulik kicked dirt toward Barga.

 

Mikulik then kicked enough dirt on home plate to cover it. He finally retreated to the visiting dugout, although he wasn't done with his tirade. Standing inside the dugout, he tossed four bats onto the field.

 

Mikulik started walking from the dugout to the clubhouse but stopped at home plate with a bottle of water. He squirted water on the plate to clean off the dirt he had kicked onto it.

 

Mikulik then screamed at Barga in an unsuccessful attempt to get his attention. Next, Mikulik squatted in a catcher's stance and acted like an umpire calling a strike, then spiked the bottle of water and engaged in another nose-to-nose exchange with Barga.

 

That ended the temper tantrum by Mikulik, who retired to the clubhouse. Well, almost. According to the Associated Press, Mikulik pushed a couple of water coolers, a chair and a batting practice screen in front of the umpires' locker room in the clubhouse.

 

The Colorado Rockies, the Tourists' parent club and Mikulik's employer, issued a gag order to keep him from talking to the media about the incident. However, he has spoken to the Asheville Citizen-Times about it.

 

"I have remorse for what I did," Mikulik told the North Carolina newspaper. "When I put the uniform on, I'm a competitive guy and I just took it too far."

 

His players couldn't contain their laughter throughout the incident.

 

"I was almost on my knees laughing so hard," said Tourists outfielder Daniel Carte, the former Hurricane High School star who will make his return to the Kanawha Valley today. "It was one of the funniest things I have ever seen."

[Mass Haas]

First rounder Jeremy Jeffress enters the Arizona game in the 4th, two scoreless innings thus far, A-Crew playing well, other than some difficulties catching the ball at first base (John Alonso). A-Crew up, 5-1, after five innings.

[plowjockey]

Manny Parra with 1 run in 5 innings. 5 k's. Flicker of hope.

Huntsville already scoring 8 runs? Ryan Braun 3 for 3 with a double? What's next? Edit - Braun finishes with 4 hits.

[Mass Haas]

Final: Nashville 4, Memphis (Cardinals) 1

Just ended, closer Allan Simpson loads and then strands the bases full to end it; details from the Sounds site within the hour -- Mike Rivera still studly...

[plowjockey]

Zack Braddock comes in and gets a double play and a K to end a rally. Looks great right? EXCEPT the double play was a rocket off the centerfield wall. A Great Falls base runner nearly over-runs another, and then goes back to 2nd thinking somehow the ball was caught. They tag out the runner going back to 2nd, then thow out the other guy trying to score, and then they throw out the hitter trying to get back to first, but the ump somehow calls him safe, starting an argument. A prime example of why all minor league stats are to be taken with a grain of salt.

[colbyjack]

A prime example of why all minor league stats are to be taken with a grain of salt.

 

No, not all, as that would assume every play is outlandish. You do have to consider the circumstances, which I think everyone around here does when reading box scores, but more often than not the numbers don't lie.

 

On that note, since I have been hard on Braun, since I don't care for needless excuses trying to explain why someone's stats may not be a clear indication of how they're performing, let his three-hit day be an indicator of things to come. I was a big proponent of Braun in the draft last summer, and I just want to see him succeed.

[Mass Haas]

Nashville Pre-Game Audio Chat with Infielder Jermaine Clark:

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/a...%207-4.wma

[Mass Haas]

Nashville Site Game Summary:

Link for Mike Rivera photo, text follows --

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/n...ewsId=2037

 

Sounds Celebrate 4th Of July With 4-1 Win

 

MEMPHIS, Tenn. ? The Nashville Sounds celebrated Independence Day with a 4-1 victory over the division-rival Memphis Redbirds on Tuesday evening in front of a city-record 18,302 fans at AutoZone Park in the opener of a four-game series.

 

The win should have been the league-leading ninth shutout victory of the year for Nashville (44-40). The lone Memphis run came on a disputed home run.

 

Nashville starter Justin Lehr combined with three relievers to hold the Redbirds to six hits on the evening as the Sounds improved to 26-22 all-time at AutoZone Park.

 

Catcher Mike Rivera carried the big stick for the Sounds, finishing 2-for-4 with a home run, two RBIs, and a pair of runs scored to pace the Nashville offense.

 

Rivera put the visitors on the board in the top of the second when he deposited Memphis starter Chris Narveson?s 3-2 offering onto the berm beyond the left field fence for a solo homer to lead off the inning. The blast was Rivera?s 10th of the year.

 

AUDIO: Mike Rivera's Solo Homer --

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/a...%207-4.wma

 

Narveson tied the contest on his own in the bottom of the third inning with a controversial fly ball to left-center off Lehr. The Redbirds hurler was awarded a home run by the umpiring crew but in-house video replays clearly showed the ball hit near the top of the outfield wall and bounded back into play, leaving Narveson with a double. Lehr retired the final three batters of the inning and would have left the pitcher stranded on the basepaths.

 

The Sounds reclaimed the lead the following half-inning with three runs against Narveson. Brent Abernathy opened the frame with a double off the left field wall and scored the go-ahead run when Nashville RBI leader Nelson Cruz delivered a run-scoring double to right-center. Rivera followed with his second big hit of the night, an RBI single to left that plated Cruz for a 3-1 lead. Three batters later, shortstop Ozzie Chavez pushed the lead to 4-1 with an RBI single to right that brought home Rivera.

 

Lehr (2-3) worked six innings and held Memphis to one run on four hits while matching his season high with six strikeouts. He picked up his first win in four starts.

 

Chris Demaria, Mitch Stetter, and Allan Simpson combined to work the final three frames in scoreless fashion.

 

Memphis threatened in the ninth, loading the bases against Simpson with one out. However, the right-hander struck out Derek Wathan and induced a game-ending groundout from pinch-hitter Bo Hart to escape the jam unscathed.

 

Narveson (3-2) absorbed the loss after allowing four runs on eight hits while striking out seven over five frames.

 

The teams continue the series with a 7:10 p.m. CDT meeting on Wednesday evening. Knuckleballer Jared Fernandez (3-2, 2.52) will toe the rubber for the Sounds and face Memphis southpaw Randy Leek (3-6, 4.66).

 

Nashville Box Score and Game Log Link:

Brent Abernathy on base all four plate appearances; Dave Krynzel (0-for-1, .232) now an afterthought most nights; still amazed Justin Lehr cleared waivers -- he had these same starting outings late last year with Nashville...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_mrbaaa_1

[Mass Haas]

Final: Huntsville 13, Birmingham (White Sox) 1

 

Huntsville Site Game Summary:

Link for Travis Phelps photo, text follows --

 

www.huntsvillestars.com/n...newsId=905

 

Stars Shoot Plenty of Fireworks in Big Win at Birmingham

 

Drew Anderson homered and knocked in two runs and Ryan Braun collected four hits to back the strong pitching of Travis Phelps in Huntsville?s 13-1 Fourth of July victory over Birmingham in the opener of a five-game set at the Hoover Met. The Stars stopped a four-game losing streak and improved to 6-10 in the second half, while the Barons dropped to 9-7 in the second half and remain one game behind South Division leader Montgomery. The Stars matched a season-high with the 13 runs and equaled a season standard with their 17 hits and 12-run margin of victory.

 

The Stars started the scoring with a looping two-out, two-run single to right field by Ron Acuna in the second inning that snapped a 19 at-bat hitless drought. The visitors tacked on four runs in the fourth on a throwing error by Birmingham starter Ryan Rodriguez, a run-scoring hit by Acuna and a two-run single by Steve Moss that knocked the southpaw out of the game. Rodriguez did not retire any of the five hitters he faced in the fourth inning and was charged with six runs, five earned, on seven hits and two walks in his third start against the Stars.

 

The Stars added two runs in the fifth, one in the sixth and seventh innings and three more in the eighth inning, marking the second time in less than a week Huntsville had tallied in six frames in a game. Every starter with the exception of Brad Nelson collected at least one hit and scored once and every starter except for Callix Crabbe and Guilder Rodriguez knocked in at least one run. Acuna finished with four runs batted in, Anderson scored four times, doubled twice and drove in a pair and Steve Moss had three hits, scored once and knocked in a pair.

 

Phelps was simply stellar, lasting a season-best seven innings, fanning a season-high 10 and not issuing a walk for a third straight appearance covering 18 innings. He retired 12 in a row before Ricardo Nanita tripled with one out in the seventh inning and scored on a Cory Aldridge single. Phelps picked up his third win and second in Birmingham, during which the Stars have scored 25 runs for him.

 

The series continues Wednesday night with left-hander Steve Hammond taking the hill against Barons? left-hander Ray Liotta. Coverage of the game begins at 6:50 p.m. central time and can be heard locally on ESPN Radio 1450 AM and through the internet at www.huntsvillestars.com.

 

Huntsville Box Score and Game Log Link:

That's four hits, not three, for Ryan Braun, colbyjack http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif ...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_biraax_1

 

Drew Anderson Photo from Huntsville Site:

 

http://www.huntsvillestars.com/images/news/andersont.JPG

[Mass Haas]

Final: Daytona (Cubs) 3, Brevard County 0

It seems more and more that losing out on the first-half crown is going to cost the Manatees...

 

Brevard County Site Game Summary:

 

Veal, Cubs win seventh straight

 

Donald Veal pitched seven innings of three-hit ball as Daytona won its seventh straight and five consecutive games over the Manatees with a 3-0 blanking of visiting Brevard County on Tuesday.

 

Veal (1-0) struck out six, walked one and has yet to allow an earned run over 18 2/3 innings in his first three Florida State League starts. The 21-year-old left-hander was 5-3 with a 2.69 ERA in 14 outings for Class A Peoria before joining the Cubs (9-2) in mid-June.

 

Grant Johnson yielded a hit over the final two frames to record his first save as Daytona remained unbeaten since a 15-9 loss to Palm Beach on June 25.

 

Matthew Ciaramella went 2-for-4 with an RBI double in the second to open the scoring. The Cubs got two more in the seventh on RBI singles by Andrew Lane and Jemel Spearman.

 

Manatees starter Manny Parra (1-3) took the loss after surrendering a run on five hits while striking out six and walking two in six innings.

 

Hernan Iribarren went 2-for-4 for Brevard County (3-7), which has lost six of seven. -- Josh Cooper/MLB.com

 

Brevard County Box Score and Game Log Link:

Charlie Fermaint 0-for-3 with three K's, now has struck out a very alarming 82 times in 263 AB's -- I'm sorry, not even a .747 OPS in a pitcher's league will give him a free pass on that...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_dbcafa_1

[Mass Haas]

Final: Asheville (Rockies) 5, West Virginia 3

 

West Virginia Site Game Summary:

 

Cain goes 3 for 4 in Power loss

 

Lorenzo Cain went 3 for 4 with an RBI single on Tuesday night at Appalachian Power Park but the Power could not hold an early lead and fell to the Asheville Tourists by the final of 5-3.

 

Tony Festa ripped a two-out single into left field to score Cain and give the Power a 1-0 lead in the first inning. In the second inning Nate Yoho scored on an errant throw from Asheville shortstop Chris Nelson to put the Power up 2-0.

 

Nelson redeemed himself with a two-run double in the top of the third and Asheville took the lead during the next at bat on Cole Garner?s sac fly. The Power tied the game in the fifth inning on Cain?s RBI single. In the sixth inning Phil Cuadrado crossed the plate on Mike Bell?s error to give Asheville their second lead of the game and Nate Anderson grounded into a double play, knocking in Jason Van Kooten in the process to plate the final run of the game.

 

Alan Johnson (8-3) earned the victory, Andrew Johnston (9) got the save and Rafael Lluberes (4-4) obtained the loss. The Power are 45-36 overall and 6-6 in the second half after the loss and the Tourists improved to 44-39 overall and 9-4 in the second half after the win.

 

The Power will continue the four game series against the Tourists Wednesday night. Asheville will start left hander Xavier Cedeno (5-4, 3.09) and the Power will start right hander Will Inman (3-1, 1.54). The first pitch is scheduled for 7:05 PM (6:05 Central).

 

West Virginia Box Score and Game Log Link:

Another mislead -- the box score indicates superman middle reliever Patrick Ryan allowed two inherited runners to score, but the game log will tell you he did all he could in the 6th to prevent that from happening...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_wvaafx_1

[Mass Haas]

Final: Arizona Brewers 10, Arizona Giants 3

Jeremy Jeffress' two very good innings net him his first pro win; newcomer Zach McAngus (see Transaction thread) with two hits in his Brewer debut; Carlos Lee (2-for-3) showing he's well beyond rookie ball pitching; six of Brett Whiteside's first 11 hits have gone for extra bases, the recent high school catcher is off to an outstanding start -- his double today came with the bases-loaded and two out in the 6th, clearing the bases; 100 degrees for the holiday crowd of 47...

 

Arizona Brewer Box Score and Game Log Link:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_giarok_1

[Mass Haas]

Final: Helena 5, Great Falls (White Sox) 3

Unwritten rule that every Helena - Great Falls game must have a 5-3 score, actually, it's just 3-of-5 thus far; Stephen Chapman on base three more times, team MVP and no one's close; 6'10" closer Steve Palazzolo is a nice story, though it's too bad he struggled at West Virginia -- remember, he's already 24 years old, hopefuly he can be moved up again soon...

 

Helena Box Score and Game Log Link:

Baserunners galore in Jose Beltre's four innings, damage minimized to one run...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_grfrok_1

[LouisEly]

Ho-hum, "non-prospect" Drew Anderson on base four of five plate appearances. He has been by far the most consistent hitter for Huntsville so far this year. His OBP is equal to BF.net darling Steve Moss, and his SLG is far superior. Neither is that great overall, but it is in a pitchers league. I don't get where people think that Moss is far superior in speed when Anderson bests Moss in 3Bs and SBs. Anderson is also equal in HRs, far superior in total bases, and while he has less walks he also has far fewer Ks than Moss. I'm not saying he's the next Ken Griffey Jr., but give the guy some love once in a while!

[Mass Haas]

Helena Game Summary from MiLB.com:

 

Brewers stop White Sox

 

Chris Errecart went 2-for-4 and ripped a two-run double in the first inning that sent visiting Helena to a 5-3 victory over Great Falls on Tuesday.

 

Errecart had the big hit off White Sox starter Clevelan Santeliz in a four-run frame, giving the Brewers (6-9) a 3-0 lead. Errecart came around to score on a single by Fredy De La Cruz.

 

The White Sox (8-7) outhit Helena, 14-9, but couldn't get the big hit when they needed it. Great Falls pounded reliever Travis Wendte for six hits in 1 2/3 innings, but scored only two runs. Wendte got out of the seventh when Michael Grace was thrown out at the plate on a relay from right fielder Chuckie Caufield to first baseman Carlos De La Cruz to catcher Andy Bouchie.

 

Vernon Carter led off the eighth with a homer off Wendte and Joseph Hunter drove in a run with a single. Steve Palazzolo relieved Wendte with two outs and runners on second and third and got pinch-hitter Matt Sharp to ground out to preserve the two-run lead. Palazzolo gave up Lee Cruz's second double of the night in the ninth, but picked up his first save.

 

Helena starter Jose Beltre permitted one run on five hits in four innings. Zach Braddock (1-0) tossed two innings of scoreless relief to pick up the win.

 

Santeliz (0-2) was charged with four runs in two innings. The Great Falls bullpen was outstanding, yielding just one run on five hits with 10 strikeouts in seven innings. Michael Rocco gave up a run in three frames, but struck out six. -- Tim Leonard/MLB.com

 

***

Helena Independent Record:

 

Four-run first lifts Brewers over Great Falls

 

The Helena Brewers scored four runs in the first inning and that was enough as they downed the Great Falls White Sox 5-3 in a Pioneer League contest Tuesday night.

 

Andy Bouchie started off the big opening inning with an RBI single and one batter later Chris Errecart drove in two with a double.

 

Great Falls couldn?t put a big dent the Helena lead as they scratched together one run in the third inning and two more in the eighth.

 

Jose Beltre allowed one earned run over four innings of work and Zach Braddock picked up the win. He allowed two hits over two innings and didn?t give up a run. Braddock lowered his ERA to 2.08 with the performance.

 

Helena had two triples in the game, one by Stephen Chapman and another by Taylor Green.

 

Chapman had two hits in the game as did Bouchie and Errecart.

 

Great Falls stranded 12 runners in the contest.

 

The win was Helena?s second in a row and the Brewers moved out of last-place in the North Division. They are tied with Missoula, four games behind Billings.

 

The two teams will meet again tonight for one game in Helena. First pitch is set for 7:05 PM (8:05 Central).

[Mass Haas]

Left-hander Rafael Lluberes made the start for the Power against the Tourists. He allowed six hits and five runs in five innings as the Power fell 5-3.

Charleston Gazette Photographer: M.K. McFarland

 

http://www.wvgazettemail.com/images/stories/lluber1.jpg

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.al.com/barons/birming...amp;coll=2

 

Barons' Cron says `We stunk'

DOUG SEGREST

Birmingham News staff writer

 

In nine other Southern League ballparks, the Huntsville Stars are nothing if not ordinary.

 

Make that downright anemic. The Stars possess the worst offense in the league, averaging a paltry 3.3 runs a game.

 

Ah, but when the team bus pulls into Hoover, the Stars suddenly turn into The Monsters of The Met. Exhibit D: Tuesday night.

 

Huntsville posted double digits on the Birmingham Baronsfor the third time in four wins here this summer, providing a preview of the postgame fireworks in a 13-1 laugher.

 

The game drew a crowd of 10,166 that remained upbeat long enough to salute Birmingham's first - and only - run of the game in the seventh, which sliced Huntsville's lead at the time to nine.

 

"I want to apologize to the fans here tonight," Barons manager Chris Cron said. "We stunk. But when we scored the one run, they acted like it was a game-winner. We heard and we appreciated that kind of support."

 

The Stars have scored 43 runs in four victories here, proving that someone, somewhere can feel at home at spacious Hoover Metropolitan Stadium.

 

"It's something you can't explain," said left fielder Drew Anderson.

 

"The last time we came here, we had a 13-game losing streak. But we got off to a fast start here and everyone got hot."

 

The Stars aren't only hitting early and often, they're using trips to Birmingham as therapy sessions. Huntsville snapped the Southern League's longest losing streak of the season June 2 with the first of three straight road wins at The Met.

 

Tuesday's victory ended a four-game losing streak.

 

Anderson has had much to do with Huntsville's success in suburban Birmingham. He's hit in all five games he has played at The Met. In Tuesday's case, he had three hits, scored four times and slugged the game's only homer.

 

But the key to Huntsville's success, Anderson noted, is that the Stars play to the stadium's strengths, not its weaknesses.

 

"Home runs are the last thing this team thinks about," Anderson said. "We've hit less home runs than any team in the league. We just try to hit line drives, and this stadium rewards you for that."

 

While Huntsville sees The Met as its own Shangri La, the venue continues to bedevil the Barons. Birmingham is hitting 30 points lower at home than on the road. More proof of how bewitched the Barons are? The club has hit 41 of its 57 homers on the road.

 

"Their plan is a great plan," Cron said. "I wish we made use of that plan, because this is our ballpark.

 

"Go to any of the nine other parks and every one of our guys can hit it out. But come here and we can't hit a lick. The objective every time is to drive the ball on a line. That plan should never change."

 

Huntsville starter Travis Phelps took a shutout into the seventh and scattered four hits. He also struck out 10 before departing, improving to 3-6.

 

Birmingham starter Ryan Rodriguez dropped to 4-7 with his worst performance in seven starts. Rodriguez was battered for seven hits and six runs and was chased after facing a handful of batters in Huntsville's four-run fourth.

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.dailymail.com/news/Sports/200607055/

 

Tourists get last laugh against Power

Jacob Messer

Charleston Daily Mail Sportswriter

 

West Virginia Power fan Rod Blackstone made Asheville Tourists Manager Joe Mikulik the butt of his jokes from the first inning until the final frame Tuesday.

 

But the last laugh belonged to Mikulik as Asheville rallied for a 5-3 victory over West Virginia in front of a Fourth of July crowd of 6,406 on a hot and humid summer evening at Appalachian Power Park.

 

The series opener between the Tourists and Power marked the return of Mikulik, whom South Atlantic League officials suspended for seven games after his now-famous temper tantrum 10 days ago.

 

Base umpire Andy Russell ejected Mikulik after he argued a safe call on a pickoff play during Asheville's 5-2 loss to Lexington on June 25.

 

That led to the blowup, which included Mikulik running toward second base and diving toward the bag, then ripping it from the ground and throwing it toward the outfield.

 

The tirade, which ESPN showed during its SportsCenter highlights, provided more than enough ammunition for Blackstone, who is known around the league for his well-researched cheers and jeers.

 

Blackstone had a photo of Mikulik running with the base during his tirade enlarged and placed on foam board. It was divided into eight equal pieces, which measured 12 feet high and 6 feet wide when they were joined.

 

Helped by his fellow fans, Blackstone set up the larger-than-life-size photo in the section behind the visiting dugout during the National Anthem. As he turned and walked toward the dugout, Mikulik found himself staring at the huge photo when country singer Keith Bryant finished his rendition of the Star Spangled Banner.

 

"That," Mikulik said, "should make SportsCenter."

 

Blackstone also had poster-board signs poking fun at Mikulik, who is in his seventh season as Asheville's manager and estimates he has been ejected about 25 times from 985 career games with the Tourists.

 

One read, "Match the Tantrum."

 

It had six names (Andre Dawson, Billy Martin, Lloyd McClendon, Lou Piniella, Earl Weaver and Mikulik) and six answers (kicking dirt on an umpire, tossing a cap, throwing a bat, stealing a base, covering home plate with dirt and all of the above). Fans were asked to match the person with the tantrum. All of the above, of course, went with Mikulik.

 

Another read "Mikulik Olympics," which featured events such as "second-base throw," "bottle slam," "plate-cleaning" and "dramatic diving."

 

"Their preparation was unbelievable," said Mikulik, who also received a $1,000 fine from league officials for his temper tantrum. "In 23 years of baseball, that is the best I have seen as far as props and all of that."

 

Mikulik walked into the clubhouse after the game with a win and a smile.

 

"It was exactly what I expected," Mikulik said of the good-natured ribbing. "It was done with class. It wasn't too bad. I only heard one personal comment."

 

That should be expected, he said, "when fans get a couple of beers in them." Coincidentally, it was Two for Tuesday at the stadium.

 

"You have to have thick skin to play this game," said Mikulik, who attributes his toughness to his days as an American player in a Mexican league. "You can't be soft. You have to take it like a man.

 

"That," he added, "is pretty much what I'm doing."

 

The victory was the seventh in eight games for the Tourists, who were 6-1 without Mikulik.

 

"I think they were upset by it," said Mikulik, who was allowed to be on the field before the games but not in the dugout during the games while he served his suspension. "I think it sparked them. I think they decided it was time to turn it up a notch.

 

"If it fired them up, then it was well worth it."

 

Asheville improved to 44-39 overall and 9-4 in the second half. West Virginia dropped to 45-36, 6-6.

 

The Power started the second half with a three-game winning streak but followed it with a three-game losing streak. The club has alternated results in its six games since then.

 

"We have had opportunities to win all of the games that we have played, but we haven't been able to execute offensively or defensively," said West Virginia Manager Mike Guerrero, whose team stranded seven runners and committed two errors Tuesday. "We have to make the plays when we need to.

 

"We have been up and down, up and down," he added. "We just need to find a rhythm."

 

PLAYING IN the Kanawha Valley for the first time in four years, former Hurricane High School star Daniel Carte finished with two walks and two strikeouts in five trips to the plate. He also scored one run for the Tourists.

 

"It wasn't a terrible game, but it wasn't a great game, either," said Carte, a Winthrop University product who never had an opportunity to play in West Virginia during college. "I was a little nervous. Once the game got going, I was all right."

 

THE SERIES continues tonight at 7:05. The Tourists will start left-hander Xavier Cedeno (5-4, 3.09). The Power will counter with right-hander Will Inman (3-1, 1.54).

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.greatfallstribune.com...50314/1006

 

Sox come up short

By SCOTT MANSCH

Great Falls Tribune Asst. Sports Editor

 

Laden with lusty hitting and veteran, high-priced pitching, the Great Falls White Sox thought they had all their bases covered.

 

But those bases, more specifically the guys running them, cost the Sox dearly Tuesday night in an unsightly 5-3 loss to the Helena Brewers.

 

The White Sox had two men thrown out at home, an attempted base-stealer gunned down at third, and a runner nipped at third after he rounded the base too far.

 

And that wasn't the worst of it.

 

In the fifth, two on and nobody out, Michael Grace ripped one off the wall in left center. But Joseph Hunter, who had been on second, and Tim Lawrence, who was on first, both ended up being thrown out on the bases in a bizarre play that left a huge Centene Stadium crowd of 4,506 in stunned disbelief.

 

"That just killed us right there," said Great Falls manager Bobby Tolan, whose team out-hit the Brewers 14-9.

 

Hunter was tagging up the the long blast, and was nearly passed by Lawrence. Hunter eventually was caught in a pickle between home and third. After Hunter was tagged out, Lawrence found himself in a similar rundown between second and third that ended badly. And then Grace, who had reached second moments before on the apparent double, was nearly thrown out in his desperate flight back to first base in what was nearly the strangest triple play ever turned at Centene.

 

Professional base-running, it was not.

 

"We had guys running with their heads down, running through stop signs ... just terrible base-running," said Tolan, the former star major-leaguer who once lead the National League in stolen bases. "I hope they learn from it. But this one was tough on the whole squad."

 

The White Sox fell to 8-7 on the season, 2 1/2 games behind the first-place Billings Mustants in the Pioneer League's Northern Division.

 

Playing in front of a season-high crowd excited about the postgame Fourth of July fireworks display, the visiting Brewers sparkled early on. The Brewers of veteran manager Ed Sedar scored four times in the first, thanks to key hits from former Oklahoma star Chuckie Caufield and ex-Washington Huskie standout Chris Errecart.

 

Caufield, whose father played defensive back in the NFL and whose sister LaNeishea played two seasons of pro basketball in the WNBA, had two outfield assists as the Brewers won it with their defense.

 

"Just trying to hit the cutoff man," said Caufield. "I tried to get it back in as quick as I could."

 

Starter Clevelan Santeliz, a 19-year-old righthander from Venezuela, was ineffective on the mound for Great Falls. The Sox trailed 5-1 after five, with all the Keystone Kop routines on the bases preventing any hometown rallies.

 

Finally the eighth, the Sox scored a run without having to run the bases as Chris Carter hammered his fifth home run of the summer. Subsequent hits by Reymundo Tavares, Christian Acosta and Hunter plated another run.

 

But Helena reliever Steve Palazzolo, a 6-10 mountain out of the bullpen, entered the game with the tying runs aboard and quelled the uprising by inducing pinch-hitter Matt Sharp to ground out.

 

In the ninth, the huge partisan crowd had something to cheer about when Lee Cruz rammed his second double of the game to right-center. But Carter grounded out for the second out, and Palazzolo notched the save by getting Tyler Reves on a routine grounder for the last out of the game.

 

Zach Braddock, the second of four Helena pitchers, earned the mound victory with two scoreless innings of work.

 

The two teams meet again Wednesday evening, but the scene shifts to Helena's Kindrick-Legion Field.

[plowjockey]

Colby, I did not mean to infer that all plays in the minors are outlandish. I read posts here all the time about people getting excited or disappointed over a box score, or certain minor league stats. There are so many variations going on in the minors that we no nothing about. I was trying to say that you can't look at box scores in the minors, take them as gospel and get a true read on a kid. Batted balls that are caught in the bigs fall in in the minors. The 5 strike outs in 2 innings for a pitcher may be against 5 roster fillers or guys about to be cut. The 2 errors behind a pitcher extends innings and increases his pitch count, or he may be working on perfecting a certain pitch and walk a bunch of guys etc. I listened to that Helena game and Great Falls had 5 guys thrown out on the base paths. 5 ! Early in the game a guy from Great Falls tried to steal 3rd with runners on 1st and 3rd and 1 out. He was gunned down and their inning was ruined. It sounded like a little league game. Braddock was hit pretty hard, but 3 outs on the base paths bailed him out. His pitching line looks real good, but those at the game would see that he fooled few.